Are Marijuana Tourists Flocking to Washington and Colorado?

By
Bill Briggs, NBC News
on August 15, 2014

Are more tourists headed to Washington and Colorado to enjoy a legal toke? The answer’s hazy.

Seattle on Friday will host its annual Hempfest — a pot-a-palooza weekend known to attract a quarter million people — yet city officials say legal weed in Washington has yet to lure sightseers across state borders.

In the Mile High City, some 30,000 people crammed an open-air expo during 4/20 weekend to sample strains vying for the 2014 Cannabis Cup. But Denver officials maintain there’s no proof that legal pot in Colorado is enticing visitors from other states.

To the civic-hawking pros charged with charming far-flung consumers to enjoy the best of Washington and Colorado, marijuana tourism remains a myth.

Duly noted. But according to experts at travel websites that track the habits of American vacationers, the two states where voters approved recreational pot each have witnessed an uptick in curious journeyers since those laws were enacted.

“We’ve seen that searches for both destinations have spiked dramatically,” said Taylor Cole, who handles public relations for Hotels.com North America.